The National Bank Open in Montreal has been a showcase of electrifying tennis, and on a windy Sunday afternoon, August 3, 2025, Madison Keys delivered a performance that had fans at IGA Stadium’s Centre Court on the edge of their seats. The sixth-seeded American, a former finalist at this prestigious WTA 1000 event, staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Czechia’s Karolina Muchova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a gripping round of 16 clash, saving two match points to secure her place in the quarterfinals. This victory, her second consecutive come-from-behind triumph in Montreal, sets up a tantalizing potential showdown with world No. 2 and 2025 Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, pending the outcome of Swiatek’s match against Denmark’s Clara Tauson. “I’ve been kind of hopping around from place to place,” Keys said of her time in Montreal, where she’s been exploring local coffee shops. “I’m quite picky myself because I personally think I make pretty good coffee at home. My standard is pretty high, but I’ve had some good coffee so far.”
Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, faced a steep challenge against Muchova, a former French Open finalist ranked No. 14. The match began with an early setback for Keys, who squandered a break-point opportunity in the second game and was broken at love in the third, falling behind 2-1. Despite exchanging breaks in the sixth and seventh games, Muchova’s early advantage proved decisive, as she clinched the first set 6-4. “That early break proved to be just enough,” Keys later reflected, acknowledging the Czech’s resilience despite her injury-plagued 2025 season. Muchova, who missed most of the clay swing due to a wrist injury and illness, pushed Keys to the brink, holding two match points in the third set. But Keys, showcasing the grit that has defined her career, battled back, capitalizing on a critical double fault by Muchova to break serve and surge to a 3-1 lead in the second set, leveling the match.
The deciding set was a rollercoaster, with Keys saving two match points to force a 7-5 finish after two hours of intense baseline exchanges. This victory marked her 75th career win against a top-20 player and her first National Bank Open quarterfinal since 2016, when she reached the final, only to fall to Simona Halep. The nine-year gap between her Montreal quarterfinal appearances ties her with Ana Ivanovic for the longest in the Open Era at this event. “It’s a great achievement,” Keys said of her milestone, though her focus remained on the bigger picture. “I always really enjoy being able to do that. It’s nice when we’re in more central cities where we have lots of options.”
Keys’ Montreal campaign has been a testament to her resilience. In the third round, she overcame a one-set deficit to defeat compatriot Caty McNally 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, setting the stage for her heroics against Muchova. Her 2025 season has been a high point, highlighted by her Australian Open title in January, where she defeated Iga Swiatek in a thrilling semifinal. However, Swiatek avenged that loss in Madrid, solving Keys’ powerful serve in a straight-sets victory. “That’s going to be the first time I play a heavy hitter here, so I think I’ll need to adjust to that,” Swiatek said of her upcoming match against Tauson, a big-serving Dane who has dropped just six games in her first two rounds. A potential quarterfinal clash with Keys promises to be a blockbuster, pitting two Grand Slam champions against each other on the hard courts where both thrive.
As the National Bank Open progresses, Keys’ coffee-fueled focus and relentless fight have positioned her as a serious contender. With other stars like Naomi Osaka, who faces Anastasija Sevastova, and Amanda Anisimova, set to play Elina Svitolina, the quarterfinals promise high-stakes drama. For Keys, this victory is a step toward recapturing the form that made her a Montreal finalist nine years ago, and fans are eager to see if she can brew another upset against the formidable Swiatek.
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